Topic: urbanization, their problems and their remedies.

1) Critically examine the main causes and consequences of urban air pollution in India. What efforts have been made  and what needs to be done to address this problem? Comment. (200 Words)

In 2013, the WHO found that India had 13 of the 20 cities in the world with the most polluted air [World Leader in Air pollution]

Causes

High vehicle density and no effective regulation Poor state of public transport Narrow streets, chaotic traffic [unplanned and congested urban infrastructure] leading to less

efficiency and more air pollution Population stress due to skewed and lopsided development of various parts of the country. Pollution is still not seen as a political issue heavy reliance on diesel vehicles that produce black carbon aerosols. lack of dedicated lanes for cyclists [The use of bicycles, too, is both fraught and hazardous] No self realisation on part of the citizens, to help in keeping their surroundings clean.

Chief air pollutants

carbon dioxide carbon monoxide nitric oxide (NO) nitrogen oxides (NOx, highly reactive gases) PM10 sulphur dioxide PM2.5

Consequences

Smog and poor visibility extremely tiny particulates that are more dangerous because they can penetrate deep into the

lungs to cause illness and even death. chronic respiratory diseases reduces life expectancy and more burden on public health sector

What has govt done in this regard

Namesake steps taken

Continuous Emissions Monitoring Systems (CEMS) for real time monitoring of environment Bharat stage-IV emission norms have been implemented

Mass emission standards (Bharat Stage III) have been notified for two, three wheelers and diesel driven vehicles

Supply of improved diesel and gasoline. Operating Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) mode public transport in Delhi. Central Pollution Control Board and State Pollution Control Boards are implementing the Air

(Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981 to restore air quality. A mutually time targeted programme is implemented under Corporate Responsibility for

Environment Protection (CREP). Special drives for prevention and control of pollution in 17 categories of highly polluted industries. Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority appointed by the Supreme Court of India

How to control Air pollution in urban centers

regulate the number and nature of vehicles. different policy carrots (better public transport and more planned urban environments with reduced

commuting needs) being combined with sticks (higher taxation and tighter regulation of the number of vehicles, stricter emission limits, and so on).

A pollution tax such as the coal cess improve the accuracy and coverage of pollution monitoring, both in ambient air and at source

What is Particulate Matter

“Particulate Matter” (PM) refers to small particles suspended in air, either solid or liquid droplets, and originating from various sources that pollute ambient air. Particulate matter is made up of different organic and inorganic components; the major constituents include acids (sulphate and nitrates), ammonia, sodium chloride, black carbon, water, and mineral dust. PM is widespread and affects more people than any other ambient air pollutant.

Particulate matter adversely affects the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. The health impact of PM increases as particle size decreases. Thus PM is generally classified based on the size or coarseness of particles and that forms the basis for setting ambient air quality standards. The classification is presented below

Bharat Stage emission standards

Bharat stage emission standards are emission standards instituted by the Government of India to regulate the output of air pollutants from internal combustion engine equipment, including motor vehicles. The standards and the timeline for implementation are set by the Central Pollution Control Board under the Ministry of Environment & Forests.

All new vehicles manufactured after the implementation of the norms have to be compliant with the regulations

The phasing out of 2 stroke engine for two wheelers, the stoppage of production of Maruti 800 & introduction of electronic controls have been due to the regulations related to vehicular emissions

While the norms help in bringing down pollution levels, it invariably results in increased vehicle cost due to the improved technology & higher fuel prices. However, this increase in private cost is offset by savings in health costs for the public, as there is lesser amount of disease causing particulate matter and pollution in the air

http://mrunal.org/2014/06/pollution-bharat-emission-standards-saumitra-chaudhari-committee-alternative-fuels-pros-cons.html

[Pollution] Bharat Emission Standards, Saumitra Chaudhuri Committee, Alternative Fuels Pros & Cons

Timeline: Vehicle emission control in India What is Bharat emission standards? Sulfur lead content vs Bharat norms: Why additional Levy on petrol/diesel? Bharat Standards: limitations Flash point in Diesel Alternative Fuels #1: Methanol #2: Ethanol #3: Hydrogen fuel #4: CNG: Compressed Natural gas #5: LPG-Liquefied Petroleum gas #6: Hybrid and electric vehicles (HEV) Suggestions to reduce tailpipe pollution Mock Questions: Correct answers

Timeline: Vehicle emission control in India

1991 Vehicle emission norms introduced in India

1999 SC order government to introduce Euro norms like pollution control regime.

2000 onwards

Bharat State emission standard I introduced.

2003Dr. R.A. Mashelkar Committee drafted “Auto Fuel Policy”.

Recommended adopting Bharat stage 3 and stage 4 fuel standards.

2005Auto Fuel Policy 2003 implemented.

Bharat 3 standards introduced in 13 major cities.

2010 By 2010 entire India under Bharat stage 3.

Dec 2012

Petroleum ministry had setup Saumitra Chaudhuri Committee for Auto fuel vision policy 2025

Saumitra is was a member of planning commission. (not anymore because Montek & Co. gave resignation to Modi)

2014, May Saumitra Chaudhri gave recommendations. Hence in news.

What are Bharat emission standards?

Euro norms define the maximum limit of pollutant that a vehicle can emit. (CO2, nitrogen oxide, sulfur and suspended particulate matter)

If vehicle emits more than this limit, it cannot be sold in Europe. In India, we follow Euro norms under the label “Bharat stage” norms. we are gradually implementing

them in more and more cities

higher stage means less emission (just for reference, exact numbers not important for exam)

Euro normBharat Stage limit of RSPM* India implements from

I (1) 0.14 2000: nation wide

II (2) 0.08 2005: nation wide

III (3) 0.05 2010: nation wide

IV (4) 0.025

2010:

2011: 7 cities

2014: 24 more cities#

2017: (All India)#

V (5) 0.005 2022 (All India)#

VI (6) 0.0025 after 2024 (All India)##as per Saumitra Committee recommendation.

*Respirable suspended particulate matter (RSPM)

Sulfur lead content vs Bharat norms:

To reduce emission from vehicle, we’ve to fit “catalytic converter”, “particulate filter”, & other fancy devices in its exhaustion system.

But the chemical catalysts in such devices get immobilized in presence of lead/sulphur. Therefore, fuel should have minimal quantity of lead and sulfur. Else, you’ll have to replace those

fancy devices too often. Lead: we are already selling lead-free petrol. Since year 2000 only lead free petrol sold in India. sulfur: the Bharat norms give following limits:

year particles per million (ppm) in diesel

present (BS3) 350

2017 (BS4) 50 (already done in BS4 cities)

2020 (BS5) 10

Why additional Levy on petrol/diesel?

To implement Bharat norms, we’ve to do two things:

To Vehicle manufacturers To Oil refineriesYou’ve to fit “catalytic converter”, “particulate filter” & other fancy gadgets in the engine. This will decrease soot & pollutants.

You produce fuel with less sulfur, olefin & other impurities. (especially for Bharat stage 5)

ok, Not a problem because these companies already fitting such equipment’s in engine, before exporting vehicles to Europe. (due to higher level Euro standards)

Problem because refiners have to buy machines and technology worth Rs.~80,000 crore.

Government can arrange cash for refineries, by imposing 75 Paise “special fuel upgradation cess” on Petrol and Diesel. (says Sumitra Committee)

Send this cash to Oil Industry Development Board (OIDB) Then, OIDB will upgrade the refineries to Bharat stage 4 and 5. Previously, recall Famous lawyer Harish Salve reported to supreme court and asked for 30% cess on

private diesel vehicles. and that money should be used for implementing Bharat stage 5 and 6.

Taxation: Misc. recommendations

Import duty should be 0% on both LNG and crude oil. States VAT should be reduced on CNG sale (to promote CNG vehicles)

Bharat Standards: limitations

Four refineries in the North East- Guwahati, Digboi, Numaligarh and Bongaigaon- their equipment outdated, cannot produce BS4, BS5 quality fuels.

Government designated only a few cities under BS-4 standards. BS-4 vehicles more expensive than BS3. Hence public buys BS3 vehicles from peripheral towns to evade registration taxes.

BS3 fuel is cheaper than BS4 fuel. On older vehicles, we need to fit “catalytic after-treatment devices” to reduce their emission. But

government & public not pursuing this project enthusiastically. Our diesel to petrol usage ratio is almost (4.5): 1 hence more pollution. This ratio is low in USA,

Europe and Japan.

Flash point in Diesel

It is the lowest temperature at which a fuel starts turning into vapor (which will later ignite)

Flash point of diesel is set at 35 degree C. (under both BS3 and BS4.) Some journalist argue that 35 degree is too dangerous. Because in India, temperature often above

40 degree celcius (Even EU has flash point limit 55 C, despite having cold climate.) Sumitra rejects this hypothesis, because even tropical countries like Brazil and Argentina have lower

flash points. The temperature in and around the engine of the vehicle is well over 100 C – much above the highest flash point prescribed anywhere in the world. Hence 35 degree flash point doesn’t automatically mean explosion.

Misc. terms from his report

OlefinThese are unsaturated alkanes. We need to reduce their quantity in fuel, to reduce pollution.

Cetane number

It is a measure of diesel quality. Lower the cetane number, diesel will produce more smoke.

Alternative Fuels

Overall, Saumitra report is three things

1. Bharat norms: implementing next stage2. taxation issues3. Alternative fuels- for reducing petrol and diesel consumption. Here, he give pros and cons of each

alternative.

#1: Methanol

Good points Bad points

Methanol is readily biodegradable in both aerobic (oxygen present) and anaerobic (oxygen absent) environments.

is an alternative fuel for internal combustion engines

Can be used directly or by blending with petrol

Used in racing cars in many countries, even in China.

Methanol has a high toxicity in humans.

Even 10 ml pure methanol can cause permanent blindness. (recall those hooch liquor victims)

Methanol fire burns invisibly, while petrol burns with a visible flame.

So difficult to detect methanol fire hazard.

Pure methanol is corrosive to engine and fuel lines

Mrunal notes: Additional pros, cons and facts can be gathered for each “alternative fuel” via google books, Britannica etc. but then article will become 5 miles long and will take another five days to finish. And yet there is no guarantee that it’ll have sufficient facts to solve a possible UPSC MCQ! Therefore, I’ve confined

myself only to the facts mentioned in Saumitra report, nothing beyond that. But you’re free to dig through all angles.

#2: Ethanol

is an organic solvent Ethanol itself burns cleaner and burns more completely than petrol. Ethanol can be derived from Sugar cane juice and molasses. Molasses is the byproduct when sugar cane juice converted to sugar.

Timeline of Ethanol blending program in India

2001 Government permitted adding Ethanol in petrol. Pilot project in Uttar Pradesh.

2006 5% Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) began in most states, except JK and North East.

2008

National biofuel policy. Now oil companies required to blend atleast 5% ethanol with petrol.

But project mostly #EPICFAIL. Most companies not blending more than 2% ethanol, because ethanol not easily available at reasonable price.

2017 Sumitra Committee proposed 20% ethanol blending by 2017

Case study: Brazil’s ethanol blending program

Started in mid-70s

Their car-engines designed such way, they use even upto 18% ethanol blending. (Exact figures not important but for MCQ the examiner may twist statement saying “car engine cannot run properly if ethanol blending more than 10%“…then you should know it is an incorrect statement.)

#3: Hydrogen fuel

Bad points:

Cost of hydrogen pipeline is 15x times more expensive than a CNG/LPG pipeline. Hence, only few areas of USA have hydrogen pipeline. In the entire world hardly 200 hydrogen refiling stations by 2013. (rank: N.America > Asia > South

America) Hydrogen burns with colorless odorless flame, hence hard to detect leakage.

Hydrogen Vision 2020 – (GIFT)

Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE)’s Green Initiatives for Future Transport (GIFT) It has vision 2020 for Hydrogen. Aim: sell Hydrogen at cost of 60-70 per kg Build pipelines and refilling stations for hydrogen fuel. Get at least 1 lakh hydrogen vehicles on Indian road

Safety regulation, laws and codes.

#4: CNG: Compressed Natural gas

Favor AgainstCNG emits far less pollutants than petrol or dieselCNG doesn’t have carcinogens like Benzene.Success story in Delhi and Mumbai CNG-public transport.

CNG filling station requires more investment than petrol pump.Public not ready to buy CNG kits/vehicles becauseLack of CNG filling stations in many highways.Price difference between CNG vs petrol/diesel not that big.

#5: LPG-Liquefied Petroleum gas

LPG is predominantly propane and butane. Propane constitutes 30-99%. LPG can be derived from. refining crude oil natural gas Hence no risk of “single source dependence” LPG is globally surplus because of Natural Gas production. In some countries, LPG is called “Auto-Gas” and used in taxis e.g. Korea, Turkey, Russia, Poland and

Italy.

Good points bad pointsemits far less pollutants than petrol or dieselUnlike CNG, the LPG does not require elaborate gas grid-network or compressor station at refueling stations.Therefore, LPG refilling station can be opened with less investment. Cheaper in long run.

Today, cost per km for LPG car is almost equals petrol car.So there is no cost-advantage to make public shift from petrol cars to LPG cars.

#6: Hybrid and electric vehicles (HEV)

HEVs have both internal combustion (running on petrol) and electricity. Both USA and China planning to add 1-5 million new HEV vehicles by 2020. India should also work on this. More details in old article click me Suggestions to reduce tailpipe pollution List not exhaustive. I’ve lifted only a few non-technical, easy to memorize points from his report.

BEE (Bureau of energy efficiency) labels on vehicles to show their fuel efficiency. We need to replace the existing PUC system to a more reliable computerized system. We need to link vehicle insurance with pollution. (i.e. higher pollution vehicle should be ordered to

pay higher premium for same coverage) Give subsidy, tax-benefit to vehicle owners to retrofit their engines with newly emission control

devices Impose higher taxes on old vehicles, because they emit more gases. More tax on diesel guzzling SUV cars. Less tax on hybrid cars, CNG vehicles. Use chemical markers to detect adulteration of diesel/petrol with kerosene. Make oil companies

responsible for fuel quality at their station.

Mock Questions

Correct statements

Q1. Petroleum ministry had setup Saumitra Chaudhari Committee for ___.

1. Diesel subsidy pricing in India2. Petrol taxation in India3. Implementation of Bharat stage 4 norms.4. Auto fuel vision policy 2025

Q2. Suppose two cars are of identical size and body. One produced India and another in Europe. Which of the following is/are correct:

1. Euro IV car causes less pollution  than Bharat V car.2. Euro III car causes more pollution than Bharat III car.3. Both A and B4. Neither A nor B

Q3. At present, every city of India is under ___ norm.

1. Bharat stage VI or higher2. Bharat stage II of higher3. Bharat stage III or higher4. Bharat stage IV or higher

Q4. To comply with higher level Bharat norms, oil refineries need to produce diesel with less sulphur content because

1. It is an air pollutant2. It deactivates the catalysts in particulate filter & other emission reduction devices fitted in the

vehicles.3. Both A and B4. Neither A nor B

Q5. Consider following statements about flashpoint:

1. Flashpoint is the temperature at which fuel catches fire.2. Indian diesel has flashpoint of 35 degree celcius.3. Higher the flashpoint, less dangerous the fuel.

Correct statement

1. Only 1 and 22. Only 2 and 33. Only 1 and 34. None of them

Q6. Consider following statements

1. To improve the quality of petrol and diesel, refineries will have to add Olefin into them from Bharat stage IV onwards.

2. Diesel with higher Cetane number is considered to be of lower quality.3. National biofuel policy 2008 requires Oil refineries to blend at least 5% ethanol with petrol.

Incorrect statements are

1. Only 1 and 22. Only 2 and 33. Only 1 and 3

4. None of them

Q7. Consider following statements about Methanol

1. Pure Methanol can be used in treatment of retinal glaucoma2. Methanol is biodegradable in aerobic environment but not in anaerobic environment.3. In many countries, methanol is used as a fuel in race cars, including China.

Incorrect statements are

1. Only 1 and 22. Only 2 and 33. Only 1 and 34. None of them

Q8. Consider following statements

1. CNG is not a safe fuel because contains traces of carcinogens such as Benzene in vapor form.2. In the whole world, North America has highest number of Hydrogen refilling stations3. Pure hydrogen fuel burns with blue flame hence provides highest amount of energy per kg, than any

other fuel.

Incorrect statements are

1. Only 1 and 22. Only 2 and 33. Only 1 and 34. None of them

Mains

General Studies Mains paper 3 Syllabus topic: Environmental Pollution.

1. Write a note on the salient recommendations of Saumitra Chaudhary Committee on auto fuels (200 words).

2. What is India’s Hydrogen Vision 2020? (100 words)3. What are alternative fuels? Why is it impractical to adopt most of them in India? (200 words).4. What is Bharat Stage emission standards? Discuss the challenges in their implementation. (200

words).5. “To minimize vehicular pollution, Bharat norms alone are not sufficient.” Comment. (200 words).

Correct answers

C-auto fuel vision policy

D neither correct. Because Both Euro and Bharat norms are same. And higher stage means less pollution.

C-Bharat Stage 3 or higher

C both reasons correct

B only 2 and 3 correct.

A- 1 and 2 wrong. Olefin causes more pollution. Higher cetane is better quality.

A- 1 and 2 wrong. Methanol itself can cause blindness even in minute quantity, how can you treat glaucoma with it! Second statement is also wrong.

C- 1 and 3 wrong. CNG doesn’t have benzene and hydrogen flame colorless.

Topic: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes

2) What do you understand by ‘affordable housing’, especially in urban areas, which governments strive to provide to urban poor? Critically examine what constraints exist in providing affordable houses to urban poor and how they can be overcome. (200 Words)

Affordable housing for urban poor means housing for the bottom strata of the urban society with all basic amenities like sanitation, water, electricity etc. at least possible prices.

The government states that affordable housing for the poor is high on its agenda as it solves many unplanned urbanization related problems like slums, congestion, environmental hazards, law and order situation, safety and security and avobe all, it proveds a decent livelihood to the urban poor.

Constraints

The first biggest constraint is diversion or leakage of funds [corruption] Half hearted efforts by the government Lack of funds as most of the expenditure is on bad subsidies and populist schemes Lack of centre-state co-ordination when it comes to planning and development Ever increasing prices of raw materials and land. Diminishing government land in urban areas Unplanned urbanization creates hurdles at every stage of development Slum relocation for urban housing is a near impossible task Present formal credit system doesn’t encourage the poor towards affordable housing

Overcoming of these problems

Decentralization of development as a long term measure [Developing tier 2 and tier 3 cities can improve the condition in tier 1 cities due to reduced population stress]

Plugging leakages and strick monitoring of schemes related to housing by the government Access to formal credit for affordable housing made easy with the intervention of the government

and RBI. Bring affordable housing under priority sector lending in name as well as spirit.

Above all, it’s the determination of the government that can change the livingconditions of urban poor.

Requirements for Success

Selection of Sites for Development: These need to be large sites, of suffi cient size to justify the provision of bulk infrastructure, certainly nothing less than 50 ha or half a square kilometre.

Land Assembly: This could be done by government, or by the developer who undertakes the project. Provision of Bulk Infrastructure, including public rapid transit. Possibility of Misuse: We must recognise that the housing scheme, based as it is on signifi cant

differences in pricing for more or less identical accommodation, is seriously open to misuse. Establishing Income: We come fi nally to the vexed question of whether and if so how we would allot

the lower-income plots: in particular, how would we establish the income of each hh to be able to allot to them a house at their affordable price – knowing that we are allotting identical plots to other families at a higher price because their income is higher.

Credit Risk Guarantee Fund Trust for Low Income Housing under the Rajiv Awas Yojana Scheme

The CRGFT will have an initial corpus of Rs.1200 crore of which Rs.1000 crore is being contributed from the Centre and the remaining Rs.200 core will come from the State Governments who draw on it, in accordance with their slum populations.

This is in pursuance of the approval of the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) Scheme The urban affordable housing deficit is estimated to be about 26 million. The establishment of such a Government-supported Credit Risk Guarantee Fund would facilitate

credit enablement of the urban poor and the flow of institutional finance for affordable housing. The CRGF is intended to act as a risk-mitigant, thereby enhancing the confidence of the lending institutions in lending to this segment.

The CRGF Trust will administer and operate the Credit Risk Guarantee Fund Scheme (CRGF Scheme). The key principle of the CRFG Scheme is that the lender shall secure the housing construction/ upgradation loan purely on the assets financed, without any other collateral.

The Trust will guarantee the housing loans made by the lending institutions like Commercial Banks, Regional-Rural Banks. Housing Finance Companies, Cooperative Housing Finance Societies etc.

The Credit Risk Guarantee Fund Trust will be set up under the Indian trust Act, 1882 and the Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation (HUPA) will be the settler of the Trust. The Trust shall be managed and administered by a Board of Trustees with cross sectoral composition. The Trust shall be serviced by the National Housing Bank (NHB).

Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to employment.

3) What do you understand by informal employment? (200 Words)

Informal employment is identified on the basis of the type of enterprise in which workers are engaged or the nature of work they perform.

Informal sector

The informal sector may be broadly characterised as consisting of units engaged in the production of goods or services with the primary objective of generating employment and incomes to the persons concerned.

These units typically operate at a low level of organisation, with little or no division between labour and capital as factors of production and on a small scale.

Labour relations – where they exist – are based mostly on casual employment, kinship or personal and social relations rather than contractual arrangements with formal guarantees.

They may be self-employed or hired workers.

What makes them informal

The lack of regulation or registration has come to be a common form for defining informality. It is an outcome of the fact that enterprises and units which are registered or fall within the purview

of regulation are defined as organised, and therefore anything that is not, tends to be informal.

Characteristics

do not have a written job contract not eligible for paid leave not eligible for any social security benefits Easy entry, meaning anyone who wishes to join the sector can find some sort of work which will

result in cash earnings A lack of stable employer-employee relationships Their contribution to economy not included in GDP and GNP [Not so sure about this point]. Easy survival activities like street vending, casual jobs etc which require lesser skill. tax evasion and overlooking labor regulation results in making employment vulnerable to

government action and security of workers is at stake.

More about Infromal sector

The informal sector, informal economy, or grey economy part of an economy that is neither taxed, nor monitored by any form of government Unlike the formal economy, activities that are engaged in the informal economy are not included in

the gross national product (GNP) and gross domestic product (GDP) of a country Other terms used to refer to the informal sector can include the black market, the shadow economy,

the underground economy Although the informal sector makes up a significant portion of the economies in developing

countries it is often stigmatized as troublesome and unmanageable. However the informal sector provides critical economy opportunities for the poor

Informal sector in India

In India, Informal sector has huge contribution yet un-noticed in its economy.

75% of employment in rural area and 69% in urban area are under informal sector. play an important role in employment of women and less educated youths. This sector has the maximum share in reducing poverty in the nation. they also influence government policies ex- tax waiver for poor weavers of banarasi sari

Topic: Science and Technology (health issues)- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life 

4) “By 2020, projections indicate that non-communicable diseases will account for 75 per cent of all deaths. Improving diet has a crucial role to play in reducing this burden,” In the light of the statement, examine the role of junk food in causing non-communicable diseases and its magnitude.  Also examine why proliferation of junk food in countries like India is on the rise. (200 Words)

Role of Junk food in causing non-communicable diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes etc is increasing day by day. [Lifestyle diseases]

Studies have shown that in developed countries people are moving towards more junk food and in developing or underdeveloped such as Africa people are still having healthy food.

Proliferation of junk food in countries like India is on rise for various reasons: 1) Urbanization 2) Availability of these foods in more and more areas 3) Investment by MNCs and their advertisement which pull people towards them 4) Both parents working and nuclear families. 5) Changing life styles and busy lifestyles [Lifestyle issues] 6) Inclination towards western life style [Influence of western culture]7) No effective regulation and fixed standards

Topic:  Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; Paper – 3 – Awareness in biotechnology

5) What do you understand by ‘mitochondrial replacement’ or ‘three parent baby’? Critically comment on various ethical concerns raised on this technique in the West. (200 Words)

Three-parent babies are human offspring with three genetic parents, created through a specialized form of in vitro fertilisation involving cytoplasmic transfer in which the future baby's mitochondrial DNA comes from a third party.

Typically, babies are made from the sperm of one man and the egg of one woman. But, some women’s eggs include unhealthy mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). If these women reproduce using their own eggs, their children could be affected with a mitochondrial disease and this could result in serious health problems including neurodegenerative disease, stroke-like episodes, blindness, and muscular dystrophy. To avoid the vertical transmission of mtDNA mutations by replacing disease-linked mtDNA with healthy donor mtDNA to create children with three genetic parents: the man who contributes nuclear DNA; the woman who contributes nuclear DNA; and, the woman who contributes healthy mtDNA.

The critical question of whether 3-person IVF is safe has not yet been resolved. Some remaining concerns include:1) Epigenetic harm caused by nuclear transfer2) Mito-nuclear mismatch3) Impact of mitochondria on traits i.e. not just metabolic function4) Preferential replication of even tiny amounts of carryover mutated mtDNA

These issues could cause immediate problems for any child born from these techniques, but could also cause problems later in life. Any problems that arise would additionally be passed on to future generations.

Ethical concerns:

1. Change in the human germline : 3-person IVF would result in inheritable genetic modification. Altering the human germline is considered to be the most objectionable of genetic technologies.

i) The 1966 United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which the US has signed and ratified (with some reservations), states in Article 7 that, "No one shall be subjected without his free consent to medical or scientific experimentation."

ii) The genetic modification of human embryos would violate some provisions mentioned in the Article 63 of the European Constitution established by European Union treaty, 2004.

2. Implications for identity: Sharing mitochondrial DNA is certainly less of a genetic contribution than an entire egg or sperm, but it is likely to nonetheless have a very profound impact on a child’s phenotype. Such increasing evidence asserts that mitochondria act as much more than "batteries" and do in fact influence the traits that make us who we are.

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics considered the issue of identity in some depth in their report. The report concluded that the changes to a child’s genetic profile as a result of these techniques cannot be assumed to affect their conception of ‘who they are’ and that it would be wrong to see the mitochondrial donor as a ‘third genetic parent’.

Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT)

offers the only possibility of a cure for blood diseases and rare cancers like myeloma or leukaemia. The procedure involves taking healthy stem cells from the blood or marrow of the patient or from a

healthy donor, with which to boost the system of someone whose blood-manufacturing bone marrow or immune system is damaged or defective.

China formally backs trilateral partnership with India, Sri Lanka

China on Friday formally backed a trilateral partnership with India and Sri Lanka to establish a Maritime Silk Road (MSR) and promote the rise of Eurasia.

China is open to a triangular cooperative relationship involving India and Sri Lanka signalling a more inclusive strategic appreciation of the region, run counter to Indian concerns,

expressed during former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure, that a firm military relationship

between China and Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean was taking root, following the docking of a Chinese submarine in Colombo.

‘EC to connect voter cards with Aadhar’

A move to eliminate multiple voting and fake voters EPIC (Electronic Privacy Information Centre)

Liberalise FDI in retail for farm sector

JAM Number Trinity — Jan Dhan Yojana accounts seeded with Aadhaar numbers and operated through mobile numbers — would allow the States to deliver the subsidies to the poor in a targeted and less distorted manner.

Pointing to the lop-sidedness of policies, it said India’s public expenditure on agriculture was a fourth of the subsidy bill on food and fertilizer.

In its recommendations for farm sector reforms, it said liberalisation of foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail could help fill the massive investment and infrastructure deficit which resulted in supply-chain inefficiencies.

The Narendra Modi government’s stand has been to disallow FDI in multi-brand retail.

SCO: Russia to push for India’s full membership

The SCO, founded in 2001, comprises Russia, China and several Central Asian republics and is seen as a counter to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO).

Russia is also pushing for deeper engagement among the BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) group as well as the Russia-India-China (RIC) troika.

Russia is scheduled to take over chairmanship of the BRICS grouping and the next summit will be held in Russia in July.

Economic Survey moots three-point action plan to realise ‘Make in India’ dream

improving the business environment by making regulations and taxes less onerous, building infrastructure, reforming labour laws, and enabling connectivity. “All these will reduce the cost of doing business, increase profitability, and, hence, encourage the private sector, both domestic and foreign, to increase investments

The next response could be in the form of ‘industrial policy’. This could focus on promoting manufacturing by providing subsidies, lowering the cost of capital, and creating special economic zones (SEZs) for manufacturing activity.

And then, it suggested a ‘protectionist’ response. Essentially, this would focus on the tradability of manufacturing intended to shield domestic manufacturing from foreign competition via tariffs, local content requirements, and export-related incentives.

Eliminating all exemptions for the countervailing duty (CVD) and special additional duties on imports would eliminate the negative protection facing the Indian manufacturers

4-D solution for banking industry

The Economic Survey 2014-15 has proposed a 4-D prescription to the Indian banking sector, which is hobbled by policy constraints, which create double financial repression, and, by structural factors, impede competition.

The four Ds include: De-regulation (addressing the statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) and priority sector lending (PSL)), differentiation (within the public sector banks in relation to recapitalisation, shrinking balance sheets, and ownership), diversification (of source of funding within and outside banking), and disinterring (by improving exit mechanisms).

Elaborating on the challenges, the Survey pointed out that the banking system was afflicted by “double financial repression” which reduced returns to savers and banks, and misallocated capital to investors.

India ranks below most BRICS nations in innovation

Even as the research and development (R&D) sector has been witnessing double-digit growth in the last few years, India ranks lower than most BRICS nations in capacity for innovation, according to the Economic Survey 2014-15.

“According to the Global Competitiveness Report 2014-15, India’s capacity for innovation has been lower than that of many countries like the U.S., the U.K., South Korea, and even other BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) except Russia

The report ranks India at 48 in capacity for innovation, Brazil at 44, China 40 and South Africa 35. Russia is ranked 66. Even in quality of scientific research institutions, India scores lower than China, Brazil, and South Africa.

Only in terms of availability of scientists and engineers, India scores better or is equal to other BRICS countries.

India fourth largest start-up hub in the world

With over 3,100 start-ups, India is ranked as the fourth largest start-up hub in the world, according to the Economic Survey 2014-15.

This was mainly driven by ‘hyper-growth’ in the technology start-up and software product landscape.